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{{short description|Fictional character in the Guilty Gear video game series}}
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{{DISPLAYTITLE:Bridget (''Guilty Gear'')}}
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| firstgame = ''[[Guilty Gear X2]]'' (2002)
| creator = [[Daisuke Ishiwatari]]
| voice = '''{{Collapsible list|title=[[English'''<br/> language|English]]|Kelly Ohanian {{small|(''Guilty Gear Strive'')}}<ref>{{cite tweet | last=Ohanian |first=Kelly | user=KellyOhanianVO | number=1557047142673289217 | title=So thrilled to announce that I'm the english voice of #Bridget in #GuiltyGearStrive! | date=9 August 2022 | access-date=9 August 2022}}</ref><br/>'''}}{{Collapsible list|title=[[Japanese'''<br/> language|Japanese]]|[[Hiroko Konishi]] {{small|(from ''Guilty Gear X2'' to ''[[Guilty Gear XX#Slash|Slash]]'')}}<br/>Yukiko Kato {{small|(''Guilty Gear XX Accent Core'')}}<br/>[[Manaka Iwami]] {{small|(''Guilty Gear Strive'')}}<ref name="strive">{{cite web | url=https://www.guiltygear.com/ggst/jp/character/bgt/ | title=<nowiki>ブリジット | CHARACTER | GUILTY GEAR -STRIVE- | ARC SYSTEM WORKS</nowiki> | website=guiltygear.com | language=ja | access-date=8 August 2022 | archive-date=15 September 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220915005417/https://www.guiltygear.com/ggst/jp/character/bgt/ | url-status=live }}</ref>}}
| origin = [[United Kingdom]]<!-- NOTE: Do not change to England as the official site (cited as a source) states she was born in イギリス, the United Kingdom. Nothing about イングランド which would be England -->
| nationality = [[British people|British]]
| gender = [[Woman|Female]]<ref name="devbackyard11">{{cite web|author=Akira Katano|author2=Ken Miyauchi|author3=Daisuke Ishiwatari|author3-link=Daisuke Ishiwatari|title=11th volume of "Developer's Backyard"(9/14 Release)|date=14 September 2022|url=https://www.guiltygear.com/ggst/en/news/post-1657/|quote=(Ishiwatari) We've received many inquiries about Bridget's gender. After the events of Bridget's story in Arcade Mode, she self-identifies as a woman. So, as to whether “he”"he" or “she”"she" would be the correct pronoun for Bridget, the answer would be “she”"she".|access-date=14 September 2022|archive-date=15 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220915223710/https://www.guiltygear.com/ggst/en/news/post-1657/|url-status=live}}</ref>
| weapon = [[Yo-yo]]
}}
 
{{nihongo|'''Bridget'''|ブリジット|Burijitto|lead=yes}} is a fictional character in [[Arc System Works]]'s ''[[Guilty Gear]]'' video game series. Bridget first appeared in the [[2002 in video gaming|2002]] video game ''[[Guilty Gear X2]]''. In the series, Bridget was born male with a twin brother in a village where the birth of same-sex twins is considered bad luck; therefore, Bridget's parents named and raised Bridget as a girl to hide her [[cisgender]] [[gender identity|identity]], despite how much it pained them. In her youth, Bridget recognized their pain and set out to be a man and gain great wealth in order to disprove the superstition and to make her parents happy. After disproving the superstition, Bridget found that being a man did not make her happy, and realized that her true self was her desire to live as a woman [[Transgender|in accordance towith her gender identity.]]
 
Bridget was created as "a cute character" by [[Daisuke Ishiwatari]], who wanted to vary the cast of ''Guilty Gear X2'', where she was presented as a [[cross-dressing]] but self-identifying boy. Due to the character's appearance, Bridget was initially described as female by [[video game journalism|video game press]]. When they became aware of her biological sex, reviewers included Bridget on lists of best androgynous and cross-dressing characters, and debated her [[sexual orientation]]. Bridget has become a popular character among gamers, and critics have described her as "a memorable character" in the series. Critics praised her appearance in ''[[Guilty Gear Strive]]'' in which she affirmedrealized her identity as a [[trans woman]].
 
==ConceptConception and designdevelopment==
[[File:GuiltyGear-Bridget-ConceptArt.png|thumb|upright|left|Bridget's original design, when they were intended to be a replacement for the character [[Kliff Undersn]] and armed with a toy hammer.]]
Bridget was created by ''[[Guilty Gear]]'' [[Daisuke Ishiwatari]], wanting to create a "cute character," initially presenting her as a crossdressing boy, a detail that was kept secret to most staff members.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.4gamer.net/games/368/G036862/20180523031/ |title=石渡太輔氏ら開発陣がシリーズと歩んだ20年を振り返る。「GUILTY GEAR」シリーズ生誕20周年記念イベントレポート |work=4Gamer |date=May 19, 2018 |accessdate=June 5, 2023}}</ref><ref name="Neoseeker"/> Ishiwatari "wanted something unconventional" to differentiate Bridget from other fighting games' cute characters; he and staff members decided it "would be interesting to make the character a guy."<ref name="Neoseeker">{{cite web | url=http://www.neoseeker.com/Articles/Games/Features/AX_09/4.html | title=Anime Expo 2009 | author1=Sung, Lydia | author2=Vega, Gabriel | date=22 July 2009 | publisher=Neoseeker | access-date=24 July 2013 | archive-date=6 September 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220906001753/https://www.neoseeker.com/Articles/Games/Features/AX_09/4.html | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.asiaarts.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=110450 | title=Anime Expo 2009: interview with Daisuke Ishiwatari and Toshimichi Mori | author=Asia Pacif Arts Staff | date=17 July 2009 | publisher=[[University of California, Los Angeles]] | access-date=24 July 2013 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100713103610/http://asiaarts.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=110450 | archive-date=13 July 2010 }}</ref> The idea of making a character who wields a yo-yo came about when Ishiwatari was told that he should make a character based on an acquaintance of his, who was an experienced yo-yoer.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2022-10-26 |title=独占取材：「男の娘」から「女性」へ 人気ゲーム・ギルティギアの「ブリジット」誕生秘話【前編】 {{!}} TBS NEWS DIG (1ページ) |url=https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/-/186739 |access-date=2023-09-30 |website=TBS NEWS DIG |language=ja}}</ref>
When developing ''[[Guilty Gear X2]]'', series creator [[Daisuke Ishiwatari]] was initially working on a character to replace [[Kliff Undersn|Kliff]], a character that had appeared in the first ''[[Guilty Gear (video game)|Guilty Gear]]''.<ref name="midnightcarnival-2"/> Early on, he considered a design of a young boy with a cat-themed oversized toy hammer that would "meow" when it struck an opponent.<ref name="midnightcarnival-2">{{cite book |page=147 |title=Guilty Gear XX -The Midnight Carnival- Burst Encyclopedia |language=Japanese |isbn=9784757709348 |series=Arcadia Extra |volume=9 |publisher=Enterbrain |date=June 2002}}</ref> However, another developer proposed the idea of making a character based on an acquaintance of his, an experienced yo-yoer.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2022-10-26 |title=独占取材：「男の娘」から「女性」へ 人気ゲーム・ギルティギアの「ブリジット」誕生秘話【前編】 {{!}} TBS NEWS DIG (1ページ) |url=https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/-/186739 |access-date=2023-09-30 |website=TBS NEWS DIG |language=ja |archive-date=28 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221228130958/https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/-/186739 |url-status=live }}</ref> Intrigued by the idea of such a weapon in a [[2D fighting game]] due to how it moved, he changed the character's design entirely,<ref name="characterdesigner"/> and both bought and practiced with a yo-yo to fully understand the range of movement available. In an interview he joked that he may have spent more time with the yo-yo than drawing. However, as there was some elements he could not adapt to the fighting game character, he gave them a secondary weapon of a [[teddy bear]].<ref name="midnightcarnival-2"/> The weapon proved very difficult however, with the character having double the [[animation frame|frames]] of animation" due to the [[yo-yo]]'s movements. He spent "a very long, very frustrating time trying to get the animation to work", rejecting many versions before studio staff made Bridget "look natural".<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.siliconera.com/all-about-guilty-gear-with-creator-daisuke-ishiwatari/ | title=All About Guilty Gear With Creator Daisuke Ishiwatari | date=6 May 2011 | publisher=Siliconera | access-date=8 August 2022 | archive-date=8 August 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220808231833/https://www.siliconera.com/all-about-guilty-gear-with-creator-daisuke-ishiwatari/ | url-status=live }}</ref>
 
From the get-go he decided Bridget would be a cross-dressing boy, and considered giving them an [[Osaka]] accent.<ref name="midnightcarnival-2"/> Ishiwatari "wanted something unconventional" to differentiate Bridget from other fighting games' cute characters and felt it "would be interesting to make the character a guy." Most of the staff meanwhile was kept unaware of Bridget's gender.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.4gamer.net/games/368/G036862/20180523031/ |title=石渡太輔氏ら開発陣がシリーズと歩んだ20年を振り返る。「GUILTY GEAR」シリーズ生誕20周年記念イベントレポート |work=4Gamer |date=May 19, 2018 |access-date=June 5, 2023 |archive-date=4 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230604152414/https://www.4gamer.net/games/368/G036862/20180523031/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Neoseeker">{{cite web | url=http://www.neoseeker.com/Articles/Games/Features/AX_09/4.html | title=Anime Expo 2009 | author1=Sung, Lydia | author2=Vega, Gabriel | date=22 July 2009 | publisher=Neoseeker | access-date=24 July 2013 | archive-date=6 September 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220906001753/https://www.neoseeker.com/Articles/Games/Features/AX_09/4.html | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.asiaarts.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=110450 | title=Anime Expo 2009: interview with Daisuke Ishiwatari and Toshimichi Mori | author=Asia Pacif Arts Staff | date=17 July 2009 | publisher=[[University of California, Los Angeles]] | access-date=24 July 2013 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100713103610/http://asiaarts.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=110450 | archive-date=13 July 2010 }}</ref> He felt if they had known the animation team would have approached Bridget as a man pretending to be a woman, so instead he told them Bridget was "a girl without breasts".<ref name="midnightcarnival-1">{{cite book |page=14 |title=Guilty Gear XX -The Midnight Carnival- Burst Encyclopedia |language=Japanese |isbn=9784757709348 |series=Arcadia Extra |volume=9 |publisher=Enterbrain |date=June 2002}}</ref> Ishiwatari incorporated elements into Bridget's appearance to hint at their gender however, such as giving the in-game portraits a slightly masculine face.<ref name="midnightcarnival-3">{{cite book |page=196 |title=Guilty Gear XX -The Midnight Carnival- Burst Encyclopedia |language=Japanese |isbn=9784757709348 |series=Arcadia Extra |volume=9 |publisher=Enterbrain |date=June 2002}}</ref> The character's androgyny was intended to give them a sense of "charm", despite several characters being surprised by Bridget's gender status.<ref name="10th"/> Ishiwatari however noted several times during development he almost abandoned the concept and was worried he may receive backlash for incorporating such a character into the game, going to lengths in the final product to emphasize that Bridget was actually male.<ref name="midnightcarnival-2"/>
Ishiwatari also said that Bridget was a difficult character to animate; she "has double the [[film frame|frames]] of animation" due to her [[yo-yo|yo-yo's]] movements. He spent "a very long, very frustrating time trying to get the animation to work", rejecting many versions before studio staff made Bridget "look natural".<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.siliconera.com/all-about-guilty-gear-with-creator-daisuke-ishiwatari/ | title=All About Guilty Gear With Creator Daisuke Ishiwatari | date=6 May 2011 | publisher=Siliconera | access-date=8 August 2022 | archive-date=8 August 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220808231833/https://www.siliconera.com/all-about-guilty-gear-with-creator-daisuke-ishiwatari/ | url-status=live }}</ref>
 
The subject matter of Bridget's gender identity was revisited years later in ''[[Guilty Gear Strive]]'', with Ishiwatari redefining them as transgender. In the context of the game's story, Bridget had overcome the restrictions placed upon them regarding their gender, but found themselves unhappy as a man. As a result, Bridget now identifies as a woman, and uses female pronouns.<ref name=":0" /><ref name="fanbyte-dev" /><ref name="devbackyard11" />
For ''[[Guilty Gear Strive]]'', he wanted to unify her character design and outfit to give a sense of realism. Ishiwatari tried to avoid the disconnect a viewer would feel when seeing a character walk around in a outfit that cannot be considered normal clothing. One point in her design that he was particular about was the symbol on her head piece. Originally the male symbol <code>♂</code>, he had clear intention of changing it to a transgender symbol <code>⚦</code> for ''Guilty Gear Strive''. When drawing the roughs, where he had already drawn her with the transgender symbol, the person in charge of cleaning up the model sheets accidentally drew her with the old design's symbol, but this mistake was corrected.<ref name=":0" />▼
 
=== Design ===
Following speculation about Bridget's gender following her addition to ''[[Guilty Gear Strive]]'', Ishiwatari and ''Strive'' director Akira Katano confirmed that Bridget self-identifies as a woman and uses "she/her" pronouns.<ref name="fanbyte-dev" /><ref name="devbackyard11" />
Standing 5&nbsp;ft 2 in (158&nbsp;cm), Bridget is a feminine young girl with neck-length blonde hair that frames her face.<ref name="height">{{cite web |url=https://www.thegamer.com/guilty-gear-strive-every-characters-age-height-bday |title=Guilty Gear Strive: Every Character's Age, Height, and Birthday |first=Seth |last=Parmer |date=2023-12-21 |website=The Gamer |access-date=2024-02-19 |archive-date=January 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240114162706/https://www.thegamer.com/guilty-gear-strive-every-characters-age-height-bday/ |url-status=live }}</ref> As Ishiwatari developed her character he incorporated various ideas into the design, wanting to express her as "born unequal" in a similar manner to new character [[Dizzy (Guilty Gear)|Dizzy]], but at the same time someone that was happy despite the world assuming they were not. To this end he gave her an "immoral design" of a [[Catholic nun]]'s outfit, coupled large metal handcuff was placed around her waist to indicate her capability of binding others. Crosses were used on her outfit, though instead of a religious symbol they were meant to represent femininity and her status between genders. The nun's habit was expanded into a cape behind her to obscure the visibility of her movements, though her feet were given a "bare" silhouette to compensate.<ref name="characterdesigner">{{cite magazine |language=Japanese |issue=1 |title=Guilty Gear XX |page=43 |magazine=Character Designer |date=September 2003}}</ref> In terms of personality, Ishiwatari wanted to illustrate Bridget as a comical character, wanting to deal with the life handed to her in a positive manner and show her parents the connections she had made with others.<ref name="10th">{{cite book |title=Guilty Gear 10th Memorial Book |language=Japanese |series=Arcadia Extra |volume=77 |isbn=9784757748019 |date=March 2009 |page=119}}</ref>
 
▲ForWith the character''[[Guiltys Gearinclusion in ''Strive]]'', heIshiwatari wanted to unify herBridget character design and outfit to give a sense of realism. Ishiwatari tried to avoid the disconnect a viewer would feel when seeing a character walk around in aan outfit that cannot be considered normal clothing. One point in her design that he was particular about was the symbol on her head piece. Originally the male symbol <code>♂</code>, he had clear intention of changing it to a transgender symbol <code>⚦</code> for ''Guilty Gear Strive''. When drawing the roughs, where he had already drawn her with the transgender symbol, the person in charge of cleaning up the model sheets accidentally drew her with the old design's symbol, but this mistake was corrected.<ref name=":0" />
 
==Appearances==
Bridget was introduced in the third installment of the series, ''[[Guilty Gear X2]]'' (2002), where she was presented as a [[cross-dressing]] boy wearing a nun's [[Religious habit|habit]].<ref name="destructoid">{{cite web | url=http://www.destructoid.com/weekend-reading-bridget-is-straight-38531.phtml | title=Weekend Reading: Bridget is straight | date=19 August 2007 | publisher=[[Destructoid]] | access-date=23 July 2013 | archive-date=23 September 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200923070615/https://www.destructoid.com/weekend-reading-bridget-is-straight-38531.phtml | url-status=live }}</ref>{{citation needed|date=June 2023}} Bridget was [[sex assignment|assigned male at birth]], one of twin brothers named and raised by her wealthy parents as a girl in a British village.<ref name="destructoid"/><ref name="official">{{cite web|url=http://www.guiltygearx.com/ggxxacpr/character/chara21.html?height=550&width=760 |title=BRIDGET ブリジット |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130216062554/http://www.guiltygearx.com/ggxxacpr/character/chara21.html?height=550&width=760 |archive-date=16 February 2013 |publisher=Guiltygearx.com |access-date=24 July 2013 |language=Japanese |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=GUILTY GEAR XX The Midnight Carnival |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020701031242fw_/http://www.guiltygearx.com/ggx/xx/xx.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=http://www.guiltygearx.com/ggx/xx/xx.html |archive-date=2002-06-26 |access-date=2023-09-30 |website=Guilty Gear X |language=Japanese}}</ref> They do this to protect her and to hide her [[cisgender]] [[gender identity|identity]], since the other villagers believe that identical twins bring bad luck, and her parents were not willing to give her away. Bridget nonetheless grows up identifying as a boy. She possesses a cheerful and happy personality, which is result of her trying to not worry her parents who, unable to raise her as a boy, were in pain and felt guilt for feeling they are forcing her to live in a certain way.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=2022-09-14 |title=11th volume of "Developer's Backyard"(9/14 Release) |url=http://www.guiltygear.com/ggst/en/news/post-1657/ |url-status=live |access-date=2023-09-30 |website=Guilty Gear |language=en |archive-date=24 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230924013712/https://www.guiltygear.com/ggst/en/news/post-1657/ }}</ref> She even took up yo-yoing in order to show that she was happy. However, she realized the more she insisted that she was happy, the more it pained her parents. Bridget came to the conclusion that in order to free her parents from their guilt and to make them happy, she would need to live as a man and to bring home riches to disprove the superstitions. To do this, she becomes a bounty hunter who fights with her yo-yo and {{nihongo|Roger|ロジャー|Rojā}}, Bridget's mechanical, oversized teddy bear.<ref name="destructoid"/><ref name="official"/><ref name=":1" /> Although she makes one of her first bounties on the Gear [[List ofDizzy (Guilty Gear characters#Dizzy)|Dizzy]], she is tricked by [[List of Guilty Gear characters#I-No|I-No]] in taking fake bounties targeting other cast of characters. In one ending path, she goes to [[ListKy of Guilty Gear characters#KyKiske|Ky]] to receive her bounty rewards. He points out that the targets of these fake bounties are innocent but compensates her for her troubles anyway. In a second path, Bridget finds Dizzy with [[List ofMay (Guilty Gear characters#May)|May]] and the Jellyfish Pirates and tries to capture the Gear. However, after the fight, she finds out that Dizzy isn't a bad person and befriends her instead. In the last path, [[List ofJohnny (Guilty Gear characters#Johnny)|Johnny]] intervenes and tries to seduce Bridget but soon gets embarrassed after he realized that she is a boy.<ref>{{cite video game|developer=[[Arc System Works]]|title=[[Guilty Gear X2]]|publisher=<nowiki>[Sammy Studios]]</nowiki>|date=2002|platform=[[PlayStation 2]]}}</ref>
 
In ''[[Guilty Gear XX#Accent Core Plus|Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus]]'' (2008), despite working to become an accomplished bounty hunter, all the wanted criminals were already taken care of. In order to make ends meet, she decides to become an [[entertainer]]. Although she tries to recruit [[List ofVenom (Guilty Gear characters#Venom)|Venom]] for his talent at [[pool (cue sports)|pool]] and I-No for her ability to play [[electric guitar]], both refuse her suggestion. Without money, in one ending Bridget works as a [[waitress]] in [[List of Guilty Gear characters#Jam Kuradoberi|Jam Kuradoberi]]'s restaurant. In an alternate ending she returns to her birth village, finds that her twin brother has disappeared, and begins searching for him.<ref>{{cite video game|developer=[[Arc System Works]]|title=[[Guilty Gear XX#Accent Core Plus|Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus]]|publisher=[[Aksys Games]]|date=2008|platform=[[PlayStation 2]]}}</ref>
 
Bridget is also a [[Player character|playable character]] in the [[spin-off (media)|spin-offs]] ''[[Guilty Gear Isuka]]'' (2004),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://guiltygearx.com/archive/ggx/awisuka/cha/cha.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101125132948/http://guiltygearx.com/archive/ggx/awisuka/cha/cha.html |archive-date=25 November 2010 |title=Guilty Gear Isuka - Character |publisher=Guiltygearx.com |access-date=24 July 2013 |language=Japanese |url-status=dead }}</ref> ''[[Guilty Gear Dust Strikers|Dust Strikers]]'' (2006),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.guiltygeards.com/home.php|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060616015622/http://www.guiltygeards.com/home.php|url-status=dead|archive-date=16 June 2006|title=Guilty Gear Dust Strikers for Nintendo DS|publisher=[[Majesco Entertainment]]|access-date=3 August 2013}}</ref> and ''[[Guilty Gear Judgment|Judgment]]'' (2006).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arcsystemworks.jp/ggj/character/index.html |script-title=ja:ギルティギア ジャッジメント – キャラクター |publisher=Arc System Works |access-date=3 August 2013 |language=Japanese |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130329023708/http://www.arcsystemworks.jp/ggj/character/index.html |archive-date=29 March 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
 
In 2022, Bridget returned as a DLC character for ''[[Guilty Gear Strive]]''. English promotional material such as the ''Strive'' website and Bridget's official moveset guide video avoided referring to Bridget with any pronouns.<ref name="strive"/><ref name="siliconera-strive">{{Cite web |last=Tolentino |first=Josh |date=8 August 2022 |title=Bridget Joins Guilty Gear Strive |url=https://www.siliconera.com/bridget-joins-guilty-gear-strive/ |access-date=10 August 2022 |website=Siliconera |archive-date=20 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220820020134/https://www.siliconera.com/bridget-joins-guilty-gear-strive/ |url-status=live }}</ref> At this point of time, although she wasn't able to capture Dizzy for her bounty, she showed great talent as a bounty hunter and managed to successfully bring home a great amount of wealth. Thus, the superstition faded and freed her and her parents from this restriction. But as a result, without her original goal, and after trying to live as a man but with it not feeling right, she is left searching for another purpose.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=BRIDGET {{!}} CHARACTER {{!}} GUILTY GEAR -STRIVE- {{!}} ARC SYSTEM WORKS |url=http://www.guiltygear.com/ggst/en/character/bgt/ |access-date=2023-09-30 |website=Guilty Gear |language=en |archive-date=27 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230927155717/https://www.guiltygear.com/ggst/en/character/bgt/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Bridget begins ''Strive''{{'}}s arcade mode storyline presenting as a boy, as Bridget identified in previous games, but is now questioning this [[cisgender]] [[gender identity|identity]]. In conversations with [[List of Guilty Gear characters#Goldlewis Dickinson|Goldlewis Dickinson]] and [[Ky Kiske]], Bridget expresses feeling unhappy but afraid of making the wrong choice, and the other characters relate to Bridget by sharing their own experiences of hiding secrets for the sake of others and of having the courage to reveal them and live as one's "true self", drawing a comparison to Bridget [[Closeted|hiding her transgender identity]]. At the end of her hard-difficulty mode story, Bridget [[Coming out|comes out]] as a [[Transgendertrans woman|woman]] to Goldlewis and Ky Kiske.<ref name="kotaku-strive">{{cite web |url=https://kotaku.com/guilty-gear-strive-evo-2022-bridget-dlc-trans-rights-1849386887 |title=Fan Fave Bridget Joins Guilty Gear Strive, Comes Out As Trans |work=[[Kotaku]] |last=Winslow |first=Jeremy |date=8 August 2022 |accessdateaccess-date=8 August 2022 |archive-date=18 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220818010506/https://kotaku.com/guilty-gear-strive-evo-2022-bridget-dlc-trans-rights-1849386887 |url-status=live }}</ref>
 
==Reception==
Bridget has been generally well- received by fans and critics alike, both as a ''Guilty Gear'' character and in gaming as a whole.<ref name="jeuxvideo">{{cite web | url=http://www.jeuxvideopc.com/articles/3159-top-10-personnages-gay-friendly/p-9-02-bridget-guilty-gears-xx.php | title=02 - Bridget - Guilty Gears XX | publisher=JeuxvideoPC | language=French | access-date=23 July 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130313071107/http://www.jeuxvideopc.com/articles/3159-top-10-personnages-gay-friendly/p-9-02-bridget-guilty-gears-xx.php | archive-date=13 March 2013 | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="kotaku"/> ''[[Gamasutra]]''{{'}}s Zoran Iovanovici ascribed Bridget's popularity to the fact that she was feminine despite being presented as a boy, to which Zoran was not surprised by her popularity.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/116605/Analysis_Gamings_Midnight_Bliss__Gender_Swapping_Made_Fun.php | title=Analysis: Gaming's Midnight Bliss – Gender Swapping Made Fun | author=Iovanovici, Zoran | date=19 October 2009 | publisher=[[Gamasutra]] | access-date=23 July 2013 |archive-date=25 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210825054756/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/116605/Analysis_Gamings_Midnight_Bliss__Gender_Swapping_Made_Fun.php | url-status=live}}</ref> In a 2013 poll conducted by Arc System Works, Bridget was voted as the most popular character from the series.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://arcsystemworks.jp/vote_guiltygear/ |title=GUILTY GEARキャラクター人気投票結果発表ページ |publisher=Arc System Works |access-date=24 January 2014 |language=Japanese |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140624231733/http://arcsystemworks.jp/vote_guiltygear/ |archive-date=24 June 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref> ''[[Eurogamer]]'' called Bridget "one of ''Guilty Gear''{{'}}s more memorable characters", while ''[[Kotaku]]''{{'}}s Brian Ashcraft, who called her an "iconic character,", felt that she was both one of the most memorable characters in ''Guilty Gear'' but also gaming.<ref name="kotaku">{{cite web | url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-03-16-the-arc-of-fighting-interview?page=2 | title=The Arc of Fighting | author=Yin-Poole, Wesley | date=17 March 2011 | publisher=[[Eurogamer]] | access-date=23 July 2013 | archive-date=19 October 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211019045036/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-03-16-the-arc-of-fighting-interview?page=2 | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://kotaku.com/5928844/everybody-loves-dressing-as-bridget-everybody/ | author=Ashcraft, Brian | date=25 July 2012 | publisher=[[Kotaku]] | access-date=23 July 2013 | title=Everybody Loves Dressing as Bridget. Everybody. | archive-date=23 November 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181123030232/https://kotaku.com/5928844/everybody-loves-dressing-as-bridget-everybody/ | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://kotaku.com/5804979/what-is-japans-fetish-this-week-male-daughters | title=What Is Japan's Fetish This Week? Male Daughters | author=Ashcraft, Brian | date=3 May 2011 | publisher=Kotaku | access-date=26 July 2013 | archive-date=20 December 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131220061417/http://kotaku.com/5804979/what-is-japans-fetish-this-week-male-daughters | url-status=live }}</ref> Bridget received a nomination for Best LGBTQ+ Character at the [[Gayming Magazine|Gayming Awards]] 2023]], but lost to Lor from ''[[New Tales from the Borderlands]]''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Gayming Awards 2023 Winners Revealed|date=April 24, 2023|author= Gayming Staff|url=https://gaymingmag.com/2023/04/gayming-awards-2023-winners-revealed/ |website=Gayming Magazine|access-date=May 31, 2022|archive-date=26 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230826024302/https://gaymingmag.com/2023/04/gayming-awards-2023-winners-revealed/|url-status=live}}</ref>
 
Bridget has been the subject of discussion about her gender identity, even before the release of ''Guilty Gear Strive'' and confirmation that she is female rather than male, due to her feminine appearance.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamesradar.com/the-top-7-thats-a-dude-game-characters/?page=2|title=The Top 7... "That's a Dude!?" game characters|author=Antista, Chris|date=25 August 2008|publisher=[[GamesRadar]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131223130530/https://www.gamesradar.com/the-top-7-thats-a-dude-game-characters/?page=2 | archive-date=23 December 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ugo.com/games/bridget-guilty-gear-series|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110129145308/http://www.ugo.com/games/bridget-guilty-gear-series|url-status=dead|archive-date=29 January 2011|title=He or She? The Most Androgynous Video Game Characters|date=26 January 2011|author=Meli, Marissa|publisher=[[UGO Networks]]|access-date=22 April 2013}}</ref> When Bridgetshe was first revealed for Guilty Gear X2, ''Game Watch'' and other sources identified Bridget as female, though the character identified as male at the time.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://game.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/20020101/ggxx.htm |title=サミー、ギルティギアシリーズ最新作「GUILTY GEAR XX」発表 新キャラクタ「スレイヤー」、「ブリジット」を公開 |work=Game Watch |date=January 1, 2002 |accessdateaccess-date=June 5, 2023 |archive-date=4 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230604154520/https://game.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/20020101/ggxx.htm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Feminist">{{cite web |url=https://www.animefeminist.com/everybody-loves-bridget-the-origins-of-otokonoko-and-birth-of-a-trans-icon/ |title=Everybody Loves Bridget: The origins of otokonoko and birth of a trans icon |work=Anime Feminist |last=B. |first=Rain |date=February 15, 2023 |accessdateaccess-date=June 5, 2023 |archive-date=4 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230604154522/https://www.animefeminist.com/everybody-loves-bridget-the-origins-of-otokonoko-and-birth-of-a-trans-icon/ |url-status=live }}</ref> It was clarified a month later that Bridget was a boy. When this was revealed, some fans online were disappointed, having expected a "new cute, playable girl.". However, there was a shift in perception, with fans appreciating Bridget for being cute. The phrase “there’s"there's no way someone this cute is a girl”girl" originated in a [[5ch]] thread about Bridget, which eventually became a "defining phrase of the [[otokonoko]] boom.".<ref name="Feminist"/> The phrase "everybody is gay for Bridget" also became a popular saying on the Internet.<ref name="jeuxvideo"/> She was also regarded as a notable example of a cross-dressing character, as well as receiving praise from ''[[The Escapist (magazine)|The Escapist]]'' for being a heroic cross-dressing [[player character]], in contrast to more antagonistic cross-dressing and transgender characters, such as [[Poison (Final Fight)|Poison]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ugo.com/movies/best-crossdressers|title=Best Crossdressers|author=Jensen, K. Thor|date=11 November 2011|publisher=UGO Networks|access-date=22 April 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130404085726/http://www.ugo.com/movies/best-crossdressers|archive-date=4 April 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.escapistmagazine.com/guest-editors-note-queer-eye-for-the-gamer-guy/ | title=Guest Editor's Note: Queer Eye for the Gamer Guy | author=Demarco, Flynn | date=6 October 2009 | work=The Escapist | access-date=8 August 2022 | archive-date=8 August 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220808230327/https://www.escapistmagazine.com/guest-editors-note-queer-eye-for-the-gamer-guy/ | url-status=live }}</ref>
 
Critics praised Bridget's storyline in ''[[Guilty Gear Strive]]'', in which she struggled with her [[gender identity]] and ultimately came out as a [[trans woman]].<ref name="kotaku-strive"/><ref>{{Cite web |last=McWhertor |first=Michael |date=8 August 2022 |title=Guilty Gear Strive brings back Bridget for season 2 |url=https://www.polygon.com/23293568/guilty-gear-strive-season-2-bridget-dlc-release-date |access-date=10 August 2022 |website=Polygon |archive-date=20 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220820195436/https://www.polygon.com/23293568/guilty-gear-strive-season-2-bridget-dlc-release-date |url-status=live }}</ref> Bridget's debut as a DLC character for ''Guilty Gear Strive'' was her first playable appearance in 10 years.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kim |first=Matt |date=8 August 2022 |title=Guilty Gear Strive Season Pass 2's First Character Announced |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/guilty-gear-strive-season-pass-2-release-date-bridget |access-date=10 August 2022 |website=IGN |archive-date=19 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220819194907/https://www.ign.com/articles/guilty-gear-strive-season-pass-2-release-date-bridget |url-status=live }}</ref> Kenneth Shepard of ''Fanbyte'' speculated that her extended absence may have been due to uncertainty over how to address her backstory, which he said was presented with [[homophobia|homophobic]] and [[transphobia|transphobic]] tropes in her prior appearances.<ref name="fanbyte-strive">{{Cite web |last=Shepard |first=Kenneth |date=8 August 2022 |title=Guilty Gear Strive Confirms Bridget is a Trans Woman |url=https://www.fanbyte.com/news/guilty-gear-strive-confirms-bridget-is-a-trans-woman/ |access-date=10 August 2022 |website=Fanbyte |archive-date=14 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220814023536/https://www.fanbyte.com/news/guilty-gear-strive-confirms-bridget-is-a-trans-woman/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Her announcement prompted Josh Tolentino of ''Siliconera'' to wonder if the developers planned to change her characterization with respect to [[gender presentation]], noting that her official biography on Arc System Works's website avoided using gendered [[personal pronoun]]s.<ref name="siliconera-strive"/> Shepard acknowledged the challenge of sorting through Bridget's complicated backstory to tell a respectful coming out narrative.<ref name="fanbyte-strive" /> Renata Price of ''Waypoint'' drew parallels between Bridget's evolution and the increasing presence and acceptance of queer players in the [[fighting game community]]. She found Bridget's circuitous path to self-acceptance to be an asset, calling it "messy and genuine in the way that real queer stories are".<ref name="waypoint-strive">{{Cite web |last=Price |first=Renata |date=9 August 2022 |title=Guilty Gear's Bridget Has Changed, So Have Fighting Games |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/bvmjxv/guilty-gears-bridget-has-changed-so-have-fighting-games |access-date=10 August 2022 |website=Waypoint |archive-date=11 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221011222613/https://www.vice.com/en/article/bvmjxv/guilty-gears-bridget-has-changed-so-have-fighting-games |url-status=live }}</ref> Price and Shepard connected Bridget's story to Arc System Works's recent treatment of [[Testament (Guilty Gear)|Testament]], who identified as [[non-binary gender|non-binary]] in a prior DLC for ''Strive''.<ref name="fanbyte-strive" /><ref name="waypoint-strive"/>
 
===Misinformation===
Following her inclusion in ''Guilty Gear Strive'', some fans alleged that Bridget's trans identity was invented by the translation and [[Video game localization|localization]] team and was not present in the Japanese version of the game; additional rumors purported that she only comes out as trans in a "bad ending" and identifies as a cisgender man in other endings, with the implication that Goldlewis [[LGBT grooming conspiracy theory|pressured her into identifying as female]]. Both claims were refuted by Akira Katano and Daisuke Ishiwatari in their Developer's Backyard blog. Katano stated that "although the difficulty and story dialogue of Arcade Mode change depending on your match results, this doesn't change the main plot, nor are there alternate endings such as 'good' or 'bad' endings. The same goes for other characters' Arcade stories as well,", while Ishiwatari reaffirmed that "After[a]fter the events of Bridget's story in Arcade Mode, she self-identifies as a woman. So, as to whether 'he' or 'she' would be the correct pronoun for Bridget, the answer would be 'she.'."<ref name="fanbyte-dev">{{Cite web |last=Shepard |first=Kenneth |date=14 September 2022 |title=Guilty Gear Creator Clarifies Once Again That, Yes, Bridget is Trans |url=https://www.fanbyte.com/games/news/guilty-gear-creator-clarifies-once-again-that-yes-bridget-is-trans/ |access-date=14 September 2022 |website=Fanbyte |archive-date=14 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220914224145/https://www.fanbyte.com/games/news/guilty-gear-creator-clarifies-once-again-that-yes-bridget-is-trans/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Loveridge 2022">{{cite news |last1=Loveridge |first1=Lynzee |title=Guilty Gear Strive Developer: Bridget Identifies as a Woman |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2022-09-14/guilty-gear-strive-developer-bridget-identifies-as-a-woman/.189673 |access-date=16 September 2023 |work=Anime News Network |publisher=Kadokawa Corporation |date=14 September 2022 |ref=Loveridge 2022 |archive-date=10 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230510192430/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2022-09-14/guilty-gear-strive-developer-bridget-identifies-as-a-woman/.189673 |url-status=live }}</ref> Katano stated that they did expect it to be a topic of discussion and disagreement. However, they saw a lot more people misinterpreting the message they were putting out and asking for clarity. They were conflicted on stating their stance as not doing so invited an irresponsible amount of discussion. On the other hand, they also were opposed to spoiling the conclusion of her story on the official site. But after a forgery came out claiming to be an official Arc System Work'sWorks response and that Bridget was still male, which was denounced by Arc System Works in an official response soon after,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Shepard |first=Kenneth |date=2022-08-26 |title=Guilty Gear Strive Developer Denounces Fake Emails Claiming Bridget Isn't Trans |url=https://www.fanbyte.com/legacy/guilty-gear-strive-developer-denounces-fake-emails-claiming-bridget-isnt-trans |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231212165103/https://www.fanbyte.com/legacy/guilty-gear-strive-developer-denounces-fake-emails-claiming-bridget-isnt-trans |archive-date=2023-12-12 |access-date=2023-09-30 |website=Fanbyte |language=en}}</ref> they felt the need to be clear on their position.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-10-26 |title=独占取材：「ブリジット」性自認公表の舞台裏 開発者がギルティギアに込めた思いとは？【後編】 {{!}} TBS NEWS DIG (1ページ) |url=https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/-/186744 |access-date=2023-09-30 |website=TBS NEWS DIG |language=ja |archive-date=2 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221202090522/https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/-/186744 |url-status=live }}</ref>
 
==References==
 
{{Reflist|30em}}
 
{{Guilty Gear}}▼
==External links==
{{Portal bar|Video games|Japan|LGBT|Transgender}}▼
* {{Commons category-inline|}}
▲{{Guilty Gear|state=expanded}}
▲{{Portal bar|Video games|Japan|LGBTLGBTQ|Transgender}}
 
[[Category:Female characters in video games]]
[[Category:Fictional bounty hunters]]
[[Category:Fictional British people in video games]]
[[Category:Fictional melee weapons practitioners]]
[[Category:Fictional transgender women]]
[[Category:Guilty Gear characters]]
[[Category:LGBTTransgender characters in video games]]
[[Category:Twin characters in video games]]
[[Category:Video game characters introduced in 2002]]
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